GLASGOW has ­become the only Scots city to be rewarded for respec­ting children's rights.

At an event in Westminster, councillor Stephen Curran signed a treaty making Glasgow a Unicef UK Child Rights Partner.

It is one of six places across the UK to be honoured with the title.

And Glasgow will now take part in a three-year pilot project aimed at protecting the city's most vulnerable young people.

Mr Curran said: "Glasgow has been putting the rights of the child at the forefront of everything we do for many years.

"How can we learn how to improve a young person's life if we do not listen to their needs, wants and aspirations?

"By coming together with Unicef and the other local authorities we can share good practice and learn from each other on how to increase the life chances of all of Glasgow's young people but especially our most vulnerable."

Mr Curran, executive member for education and young people, showed the special treaty to pupils at Swinton Primary in the East End.

Youngsters there have already been praised by Unicef - last April they won their Level 2 Unicef UK Rights Respecting School Award, the first in Glasgow to do so.

He added: "Our early intervention programmes, including nurture classes and corners have attracted international acclaim and our aim is towards a nurturing city.

"Being part of Unicef's Child Rights Partners project will consolidate and complement the work with our rights respecting schools like Swinton Primary schools, our successful citywide pupils' councils and global citizenship work being delivered across our schools."

Glasgow has a child poverty rate of 33%, equal to Newcastle and ahead of Tower Hamlets at 42% and Derry, where 35% of children live in poverty.

Unicef UK's Child Rights Partners project aims to prioritise the most vulnerable children, including those living in care, in poverty and young people affected by drug and alcohol misuse.

Over three years, the project will be piloted in Tower Hamlets, Glasgow, Derry, Neath and Port Talbot, Leeds and Newcastle councils.

David Bull, Unicef UK executive director, said: "Child Rights Partners is an exciting new collaboration between Unicef UK and six local authorities.

"Public services have sometimes failed children and young people, so we welcome the opportunity to work in partnership with these pioneering local authorities."

catriona.stewart@ eveningtimes.co.uk